(Originally submitted as an article by Greg Siller for
Hockey Player Magazine - www.HockeyPlayer.com)

The
one-timer, or one-time shot, is one of the most exciting and difficult offensive
plays in hockey. It is actually a play because it combines two players
executing a pass and a shot. The one-timer combines three main elements:
quickness, accuracy, and, of course, timing. The quickness and accuracy come
from the passer; as this player must setup the shooter with a crisp and
accurate pass, moving the puck toward the shooters front skate. Generally, a
pass across the slot or from deep in the offensive zone to the point-man works
best because as the goaltender attempts to follow the puck, it is moved from
the initial location toward the net before the goaltender has a chance to fully
prepare himself or herself for the shot. As the
goaltender quickly moves to get into position, the shot has already been taken.

Timing
for the one-timer must be accurately gauged by the shooter, because there is
only a fraction of a second opportunity for the shooters’ stick to contact the
puck and put it into the net.
Practice is the only way that your timing will improve. The shot of choice for
the one-timer is usually the slap shot; however players should begin practicing
this play using the snap shot. The snap shot will allow the shooter a little
more margin for error due to the shortened backswing (as compared to the slap
shot).

Practice Makes Perfect

To work
on this play during practice, divide your team into two lines (X1 and X2) and
place them near the boards at each end of the center red line, as shown in
Figure 1. Start the drill by having the first players in each line skate toward
the net, passing the puck as they go. As they get within 20 feet of the net,
the puck carrier passes the puck to the shooter, who executes the one-timer. It
is best if right-handed shooters skate down the left side of the rink and
left-handed shooters skate down the right side so that the shooter will always
have the puck in front of him as he or she prepares to shoot. The shooter
prepares by drawing the stick back and times the travel of the pass so that his
follow-through with the blade of the stick coincides exactly with the arrival
of the puck. This drill can be varied by alternating the shooter and passer so
that both X1 and X2 have a chance to perform the one-timer.

Figure 1

The second drill has all players except X2 (the
passer) and the goaltender lined up near the center red line (Figure 2). X2
should be positioned about 5 feet from the net and behind the goal line. Start
this drill by having the first player from X1 skate toward the net. As X1
enters the slot area, in between the two face-off circles, X2 passes the puck
to X1 for the one-time shot. X2 needs to be aware whether X1 is a right-handed
or left-handed shooter so that the pass will be toward the correct side of X1s
body.

Figure 2

Practicing and perfecting
these, and other, one-time drills will add an elite talent to your offensive
arsenal and you will see the results from the surprised goaltenders that rarely
have time to move across the crease to stop your quick shot (and hopefully a
quick goal).